Exercise Dependence

 

We are regularly told that exercise is essential to good health and wellbeing. If exercise started off as a positive part of your lifestyle that has now developed into an addiction or obsession you may be described as suffering from Exercise Dependence. Exercise will not only be something that you enjoy and do to improve your fitness but will be your way of coping with and avoiding difficult emotions such as low self-esteem, anxiety and stress.

 

How you might behave

  • Exercise regardless of injury and illness.

  • Exercise without a specific fitness or sports related goal.

  • Prioritise exercise over your social life, work or study commitments.

  • Alter your diet to allow you to exercise for longer or to help you to recover more rapidly (this may include the use of supplements and dangerous or illegal substances).

  • Obsessively monitor your progress.

 

What you might feel

  • Feelings of anger, anxiety or depression if you are unable to complete your exercise regime.

  • Panic and anxiety at the thought of taking a rest day.

  • Exercise is the only way you can relax and cope with daily life.

  • Distracted by thoughts of exercise and fitness.

  • Irritable and restless.

  • Poor levels of concentration.

  • Helpless and lonely.

 

How you might be affected physically

  • Frequent injury and periods of illness.

  • Disruption of sleep pattern.

  • Exhaustion.

  • Changes in hormone levels (specifically in men).

  • Stiffness and aching limbs.

 

Affects on your mood

You may find that during exercise your worries and problems seem to disappear, providing a break from the stresses of daily life or from a specific emotional or traumatic event that is occupying your mind. Using exercise to this end is fine to an extent. It becomes a problem if you become dependent on it as your only source of relaxation and if it starts to impact negatively on you social life, work and study.

You may find that you start to get anxious and panicked if you are unable to complete your exercise regime at a specific time and place. Being unable to do exercise may make you feel less in control of your life or like you cannot cope with the day ahead. The more you support these feelings by continuing with a rigid exercise regime, the more engrained the feelings will become. The need to exercise to deal with yours emotions will increase.

 

Long- term physical affects

Exercising continuously regardless of injury, illness and exhaustion and without rest days can cause long-term injury. You will be at increased risk of stress fractures and osteoporosis.

 

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT DURING RECOVERY 

 

How you might feel

The thought of taking rest days is likely to be a great source of anxiety. Try to introduce them gradually and remind yourself that they are part and parcel of a productive exercise regime (see physical changes).

Discussing your worries with a loved one or professional will help you to overcome your anxieties. Together you will be able to find alternative ways of coping with the emotions and stresses that have caused you to become dependent on exercise.

 

Physical changes

Reducing the amount of exercising you do and taking regular rest days will give your body the chance to recover and your muscles chance to repair damage caused by exercise. Muscles do not develop while you are exercising; they develop when you are resting with the help of a balanced and nutritious diet. Taking rest days will therefore allow you to work harder and perform better during exercise and will reduce your risk of developing illness or injury. You will not put on weight or become unfit as you might fear.